Rotary switch



PatentdAug. 9,1921.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

m'ifcsmw INVENTOR. aZZer flwyw I WIITNESS: fil

ATTORNEY.

W. DAVIS.

ROTARY SWI-TCH APPLICATION man SEPT. 20,. 1919.

.08 E m; V n m WITNESS:

YWZzZibIae/h ATTORNEY.

TES

U N i T E ii 3 OFFICE.

ROTARY SWITCH.

unable to again establish the continuity of the circuit.

An object of the invention is to provide a switch device, the movable elements of which will be silent in their movements and which may be actuated continuously without any indication that the elements have assumed the required position to close the circuit.

Besides the above, my invention is distinguished in the novel manner of constructing the switch blade so that good electrical connection may be accomplished with a minimum amount of friction.

With these and other objects in view the invention will be better understood from the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings,

wherein I designates a casing in which is arranged a plurality of switches.

Each switch comprises a base 3 of insulating material having a circular opening 4, the circular wall 5 of which has embedded therein a pair of contacts 6 and 7. At tention is called to the fact that the surface of each contact is flush with the circular wall of the opening for a purpose hereinafter set forth.. I

The numeral 8 designates, a rotatable switch blade the end portions of the radially disposed arms of which are recessed, and

. have arranged therein balls 9 which are forced into engagement with the circular wall by spring 10. Thus it will be seen that spring 10 and contact balls serve in part to Specification of Letters Patent.

invention maybe constructed in various sustain the switch blade in a given contact adjusted position and accomplish that purpose with a minimum amount of friction and silently the balls may be moved into electrical engagement with the contacts. The same effect is accomplished when the balls are moved out of engagement with the contacts. Extending across the base is a pair of spring strips 11 and 12 between which is frictionally gripped a disk 13 carried upon a shaft 14, thus providing a still further means for holding the rotatable switch blade in a. given adjusted position. This shaft 14 has one end arranged exteriorly of the casing and has secured thereto a button 15. To

complete the invention I arrange a dial 16 concentrically of each shaft and cooperating with the pointer 17 on the shaft.

Referring to the diagrammatic view it will be noted that the contacts of the switches are relatively displaced so that the position the various blades must assume when closing the circuit will be different. Knowing the proper combination and watching the movements of the pointers over the dials the various blades can be quickly moved in position to close the circuit. It will be noted that when one of the blades is not properly set the circuit will not beclosed although the remaining blades may be in their proper positions.

It is of course to be understood that the other manners than illustrated, and there fore I do not desire to be limited in any manner except as set forth in the claim hereunto appended.

What I claim is A rotary switch comprising a top plate, a cylindrical shell secured upon theunderside of said plate, a ring member of insulating material secured within the lower end of said shell, a plurality of contacts embedded 100 within said ring and flush with the wall of the opening therein, a rod journaled through I said top plate, a switch arm carried by the 'lower end of said rod, outwardly springpressed ball contacts in the, ends of said arm 105 bearing against the wall of the opening in the ring, aknob-on the upper end of the rod, and a pointer on the rod beneath the knob, ,the top plate being provided with a series of graduations concentric with the rod and 110 traveled over by said pointer.

In. testimony whereof I ailix my signature.

WALTER DAVIS.

Patented Aug. 9, 1921. Application filed September 20, 1919. Serial No. 325,053. 

